Metal roof seam forming machine



Dec. 18, 1956 T. J. BOYD METAL ROOF SEAM FORMING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 15, 1952 INVENTOR.

v THOMAS J. BOYD HIS ATTORNEYS Dec. 18, 1956 T. J. BOYD METAL ROOF SEAM FORMING MACHINE Filed Nov. 15, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

THOMAS J. BOYD yZW/YQ/Q HIS ATTORNEYJ Dec. 18, 1956 T. J. BOYD 2,774,320

' METAL ROOF SEZAM FORMING MACHINE Filed Nov. 15, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. THOMAS J. BOYD HIS ATTORNEYS Dec. 18, 1956 J BOYD 7 2,774,320

METAL. ROOF SEAM FORMING MACHINE Filed Nov. 15; 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

THOMAS J. BOY'D HIS ATTORNEYS Dec. 18, 1956 T. J. BOYD 2,774,320

METAL ROOF SEAM FORMING MACHINE,

Fild Nov. 15, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 HIS ATTORNEYS United States Patent C NIETAL ROOF SEAM FORMING MACHINE Thomas J. Boyd, Cross Creek District, W. Va., assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Charles H. Manion, Wellsburg, W. Va., and Thomas J. Boyd, Cross Creek District, W. Va.

Application November 15, 1952, Serial No. 320,747 2 Claims. (Cl. 113-55 This invention relates to a metal roof seam forming machine. It has to do with a machine adapted for use upon a roof top which is movable along the roof to progressively turn projecting edges of metal roofing material to form a seam.

My metal roof seam forming machine may be adapted for the formation of what is known as -a standingseam. Such a seam is formed between two strips of metal roofing material which are laid upon the roof in side-by-side relationship. The strips have at meeting edges thereof upstanding flanges, the flange of one edge standing higher than that of the other. To form a standing seam the upper portion of the longer flange is first turned to generally horizontal position to overlie the opposing flange and is subsequently turned down so that the longer flange embraces the opposing flange. Subsequently the thus interfitting flanges are pressed together and the upper portions thereof are turned down a second time to complete the standing seam. There is nothing new in the forma tion of such a seam and my machine is adapted to form a standing seam of conventional structure although more precisely and uniformly formed than heretofore. My machine has numerous advantages in construction, assembly and operation as will presently appear.

My metal roof seam forming machine comprises a body and wheels carried by the body for rolling the machine along a roof. The wheels may be of any convenient form, casters being utilized in the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings. The word wheels is used in the claims as a word of broad characterization and not of restricted definition and any adequate means supporting the body of the machine for movement along the roof. shall be deemed wheels hereunder.

' The body of the machine carries means adapted to engage projecting edges of metal roofing material shaped to turn such edges into position generally parallel with theroof upon movement of the machine along the roof and means comprising a deflector which is mounted on thebodyfor sliding action against the thus turned edges upon such movement of the machine to deflect such edges generally toward the roof. I preferably provide backing up means-having a surface opposed to the deflector extending generally normal to the plane defined by the bottoms of the Wheels. The backing up means may be in the form of a backing up roll opposed to the deflector mounted with its axis generally normal to the plane defined by the bottoms of the wheels. I preferably provide means resiliently urging at least one of the deflector and the backing up means toward the other thereof. One of the defiector'and the backing up means may be mounted in predetermined position transversely of the machine and means may be' provided resiliently urging the other thereof toward the first mentioned one thereof... 'I prefer to mount a roll in the body for rotation about a substantially fixed axis. generally normal to the plane defined by the bottoms of the wheels and to mount a deflector in the'body in opposedrelationship to the roll for sliding action against the metal roofing edges upon movement ice of the machine to deflect such edges generally toward the roof.

I further provide a metal roof seam forming machine comprising a body, wheels carried by the body for rolling the machine along a roof and a series of means carried by the body aligned generally in the direction of movement of the machine along the roof for progressively turning projecting edges of metal roofing material to form a seam upon movement of the machine along the roof, each of said means comprising a transversely movable portion, the body having guide means for two of such transversely movable portions guiding the same in fixed transverse paths, a third such transversely movable por-.

tion being disposed between and guidingly mounted in said two first mentioned transversely movable portions. Preferably two of the transversely movable portions each comprises a roll and a support in which the roll is journaled for rotation and the body has guide means for each of the supports guiding the same in a fixed transverse path; 'The third transversely movable portion may comprise a deflector adapted for sliding action against the edges being formed into a seam, the deflector being disposed between and guidingly mounted in the supports.

I also provide a metal roof seam forming machine comprising a body, wheels carried by the body for rolling the machine along a roof, a shaft mounted in the body for rotation about a fixed axis generally normal to the plane defined by the bottoms of the wheels, a forming roll fixed to the shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a support mounted in the body for substantially rectilinear transverse movement therein toward and away from the shaft, forming means carried by the support cooperable with the forming roll to progressively turn projecting edges of metal roofing material to form a seam upon movement of the machine along the roof and means resiliently urging the support toward the shaft. The forming means carried by the support may be in the form of a second forming roll mounted for rotation about an axis substantially parallel to the above mentioned fixed axis, the forming rolls being cooperable to progressively turn projecting edges of metal roofing material to form a seam upon movement of the machine along the roof. Connections are preferably provided between the shaft and the second forming roll for rotating the second forming roll.

The support which carries one of the cooperative forming means preferably has projection means extending generally away from the other forming means and the body of the machine preferably has guide cavity means receiving the projection means whereby the support is guided for substantially rectilinear transverse movement in the body. In a preferred structure the support and the body havecomplementary guiding means at both sides of the support in the line of its movement toward and away from the opposed forming means to guide the support for substantially rectilinear movement.

I preferably provide resilient means tending to separate the respective forming means and adjustable resilient means for counteracting to a desired extent the action of the first mentioned resilient means.

Desirably a shaft is journaled in the support which.

has both ends projecting from the support and a forming roll is carried by one end of the shaft cooperable with opposed forming means, the body preferably having guide means for the other end of the shaft extending generally parallel to the direction of movement of the support. In a preferred structure I provide a pair of generally parallel shafts mounted for rotation in the body with their axes substantially normal to the plane defined by the bottoms of the wheels, means whereby the shafts may be relatively shifted in a direction generally parallel to said plane while being maintained substantially parallel, means for turnplafie defined by the bottoms of'th'e'wheels may beadw justed. Each wheel may be carried by a threaded supportingmember and complementary threaded supporting.

devices may be carried by the body to which't'ne sup.- porting members are respectively threaded.

Ialso provide a metal roof seam forming machine for rotation comprising a body, wheels carried by the body for roll- 7 t 7 ing the machine along a roof; af series of rotatable rolls vadapted:to'p'rogressively turn projecting edges of metal aroofingmaterial' to form a seam upon movement of the machine 'alongfthe' roof, certain of-"the rolls being movable generally pa'rallel 'to the plane defined by'the bot toms of the wheels relatively to other of the rolls, gearing'for driving the rolls despite differences 'in their; spac:

' 'and a motivf unit carried-by th b operating the gearing. H a 3 i I'The wheels which su pport my niachinefor'rnovenient '7 along a roof may be carried by the body and disposed with one thereof at the leading end of the body as the machine moves along the roof with a side face of the wheel substantially in alignment in the direction of move- -ment with the means vfor progressively-turning projecting 7 edges of the metal roofing material to form a seam.

V Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the machine.

shown in Figures l and 2 with a portion in vertical trans upon whichthe wheel is mounteia member 6 carrying the shaft- '5 and an externally. threadedstem" 7 :whiclr-isdisposed within and thradedlyiconnected with' an inter nally' threaded sleeve 3." Thejelevation of thejbody r2 7 arr v he P an o he ms Qf hem tw s d s by'turning theihreaded' stems 7 in the sleeve'SQTIhe 'Other details, objects and advantages of theinvention will beco'rneapparent as the following description of a present preferred embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings-I have shown a present preferred embodiment of the invention in which Figured is a side elevational view of a metal roof 'sea'm fo'rming machine; c

V 4 belt 14 is trained about the pulleys 11 and 13 whereby the motor 9 drives the shaft 12. K e

Fixed to the shaft 12 is a worm'15.' The Worm 15 meshes with a worm wheel 16 fixed to a shaft 17 mount- 7 ed in the body for rotation about a fixed vertical axis in bearings 18. Thus the worm 15 drives the shaft 17. Disposedjrearwardly offthefshaft 17 and in alignment therewith are vertical shafts 19 and 2 0, each mounted about a fixed vertical axis. ,The shaft 19 1 is jou'rnaled in bearings 21'shown in' Figuie 6. Fixed a to the shaft 17 is a gear22. Fixed to the f-shaft- 19-i's a 'gear23. Fixed to the shaft 20 is a g ear ifl lij Ro- 1tatably mounted in the body and meshing with the gears m: 23.: a searlS- R ahly mo nted- 11th; be s and meshing withjthe gears 23 and 24 is a gear 2 6. Through the gearing just described'the shafts 19. and 20 arefdriven from the shaft 17, all three of'the shafts 17,; 19f and 26 being- :driven-to turn i n the same direction, 'i. e.', in the clockwise: directionyiewing Figurefi. 'i Fixed to the shaft 1 7- at its'b'ottorn is a knurled roll V 21 having at its top a 'fi'ange;23.- Fixed to theshaft'l fll at its bottom is" a knurled roll 29. Fixed to the shafti 20' at its bottom is a knurled 'roll 30. Thus therolls- Zi -28,29. and 3t are'rota'tedsynchronously in the same direction by the motor 9.when the machine is oper-' ation. I The. body 2 has in aside thereof adjacent each enda pair. of: uide cavities 31; .Each pair of guide. cavities Figure 2 is 'a top plan View of the machine shown in' Figurell but with a portion in horizontal cross section;

verse. cross S i T Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the machine sho'wn j in Figures '1, 2 and 3;

.Figure; 5' is a vertical transverse cross-sectional view take'ri on the line V'V of Figure li and l i Figure 6 'is a; vertical transverse cross-sectional taken on thelineVlfVI of Figure 1.

The machine comprisesa body designated generally by reference numeral 2 mounted 'to he rolled along. a

view. i W

1 rooflupon casters 3. Three casters'are shown, a rela- .tively large caster "at'thecenter front of the machine and 1 two relatively small casters at the rear corners. The

bottoms of 'thethree casters define a plane whichlwhen emachine is in use is the general planeiof 'the' roof upon which the machine operates.

f Each 'ofthe casters} comprrses' a 'wheel '4; a shaft 5 frontcaster hasfi'ts wheel positionedwith" one of its side I each plug 44 as shown in Figure 5. Also. a; relatively dsupport 32 and the portion of'th'ebody carryinggthei meht"ofgthelmachineiwith themeans ipresently to be'. d'e:

scribed; which are; carried by the .bodvto pre ress veiy: firn. Prli 1s.s e S. j f; Q l wQfing ma e a i e se miup 'n mo men or e m c i e along a roo r i PMOufited ohlhebody. of the'machine,is anelectric v motor9.having 'a'shaft idcarryingxa:pulley.11 lour I naled. in thebodyi of themachineifnear theiront end 'there'offis} a cross shaft 12v having fastened thereto a pulley; which is coplanar. with the pulley 11, and a tive relationship with theroll2 9, a deflectoril f ora put-L...

ativeso thatzthe springsfM-icangmovethegsupport fil away from the; portion ,ofithe bodyYcarrying'ithe shaft" 5 1.7. l The same istrue adjacent-the--rear ,end'of the body wardly'and rearwardly therefrom yvlziich enter;slots 50 7 -;the"supports 32 and33 respectively whereby the support? 31 is adapted to guidingly carry a support for rectilinearv movement transversely of the-machine- Each of the four cavities 31- is rectangular and adapted to receive a' projection of a support. A support 32 is guided by the forward-pair of guide cavities 31 and a support 33 is guided by the rearward pair of guide cavities 31. Each of the supports 32 and33 has rectangular projections 34, having a snug slicling'fit in the corresponding guide cavities 31. 7 Each of the supports 32 and 33'ha smounted therein'ja bearing 35 in'which is journaled a shaft. The forward such shaft is designated 36 and the rearward such shaft is designated 37. Theshaft 36 carriesa gear. 1 38 meshing with the gear 22. The shaft;37 carries. a; similar gear 37:: meshingjwith the gearf24. At its bottoni the shaft 36 carries a roll 39 cooperating with the roll 27 'as shown in' Figure'Sand as will be presently explained. At its bottom the shaft37 carrieslaf roll 530-" operating with the roll 38. V V 1 a f Connected with the outside ofjthefbody in alignment; 7 r t with eachdofjthe twopairslof guide cavities 3 1; is a block V 40' having thereintwo'internallyxthreaded' portions 41' V V each 'r eceiving t he inner 'externally'threaded en d'i-o flag sleeve "42 having in its outerfe'ndahead '43 through. which passesin threaded engagement therewithl': 44. Each of the projections 34 has thr'ea ded extremityfa stud 45 inali nmentwith': one of the plugs: 44. A compression} 'coilsprin'g. .46 bears betweenfgthe" outer en-d'gf each' pro'jection 34 and th in rend o light compression coil spring 47 ;-i s disposed between the V shaft 17. Adjustment' of the .plug; 44 determinesfthe' pressure exerted byfthe-spring .46;v the plugsf44jareg retracted the springsf46 aregrendered relatively i oper= =1 lMounted between the; supports. 32 Iand 3321s a s 'upportr 48. ;'The support 48'has projecting ribs 49 extending for- 1 sts-c i s rsatt -$3sa -m ,thereinfor sliding movement transversely of gthetmachine. :The support 48 carriesfat. its bottom in j'cooperapose toibepresentlytdescribed.1fIhefsupport tfi'islurged :1

toward the shaftfcatrying theiroll 29 bv1 aspring el '3 .7

similar to the springs 46 whose pressure is adjustable by a plug 53.

The upper end of each of the shafts 36 and 37 is disposed within a bearing sleeve 5'4 which is held against longitudinal movement but permitted to move transversely in a slot 55 in the body of the machine. Thus each of the shafts 36 and 37 is mounted for transverse rectilinear movement While maintaining its parallelism with the corresponding shaft 17 or 20 as the case may be.

Each of the supports 32 and 33 has projecting laterally therefrom toward the portions of the body supporting the shafts 17 and 20 a pair of guide pins 56 which are guidingly received within bores in the body whereby to assist in guiding the supports 32 and 33 for transverse rectilinear movement at all times.

The support carries at opposite sides thereof brackets 57 between which extends a handle 58 by which the machine may be carried from place to place and properly positioned in cooperative relation to the roofing edges to be seamed together.

Before my machine is put to use the adjacent edges of the metal roofing strips are disposed in contact with each other. As previously explained, the edges are flanged, the flanges extending at right angles to the plane of the roof. One of the flanges is higher than the other. The machine is arranged so as to straddle the joint between the roofing strips with the forward caster disposed immediately beside the upstanding flanges and with the higher upstanding flange nearer the side face of the caster. Then the portion of the higher flange extending above the top of the shorter flange is turned down into substantially horizontal position by the use of tongs or any suitable tool whereupon the forward edge thereof is disposed in the slot 59 between the upper surface of the roll 39 and the lower surface of the flange 28. The motor 9 is started which turns all of the above described rolls. The roofing is pinched between the rolls 27 and 39 and as the machine advances the projecting portion of the higher flange is continuously turned down into substantially horizontal position by the action of the rolls 27 and 39. As the deflector 51 reaches the forward edge of the incipient scam the deflector engages the generally horizontally extending portion of the longer flange by sliding action and progressively turns it down so that the longer flange embraces the shorter flange. This is the common way to form a standing seam but important advantages inhere in the use of my deflector 51. it ohviates the necessity of using rolls mounted on horizontal or inclined axes. All of my rolls are mounted on vertical axes. I am thus enabled to keep the center of gravity of my machine very low, minimizing the danger of tipping when the machine is used on a roof of steep pitch.

After the projecting portion of the longer flange is turned down so that the longer flange embraces the shorter flange the interfitting flanges are pressed together by the rolls on the shafts 20 and 37. Thus is formed the first part of the standing seam.

To form the second part of the standing seam the machine is again placed at the end of the seam where it originally started but with the body of the machine lowered by turning the threaded stems 7 in the internally threaded sleeves 8 as above described. Otherwise the operations are much the same as originally described, the top of the seam being first turned at right angles to the plane of the roof and then being turned down by the deflector 51, the completed seam finally being consolidated by the pressure of the rollers on the shafts 20 and 37. It is common to form a seam in two passes as just described, the novelty herein residing in features of construction of the machine and not in the type of scam produced.

While I have shown and described a present preferred embodiment of the invention it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A metal roof seam forming machine comprising a body, Wheels carried by the body for rolling the machine along a roof, a series of means carried by the body aligned generally in the direction of movement of the machine along the roof for progressively turning projecting edges of metal roofing material to form a seam upon movement of the machine along the roof, each of said means comprising a roll mounted in the body for rotation about a fixed axis and a portion movable transversely of the body in opposed relationship to the roll, two of said transversely movable portions each comprising a roll and a support in which the roll is journaled for rotation, the body having guide means for each of such supports guiding the same in a fixed transverse path, a third such transversely movable portion comprising a deflector adapted for sliding action against the edges being formed into a seam and being disposed between and guidingly mounted in said supports, and means resiliently urging each of the supports and the deflector toward the roll mounted in the body for rotation about a fixed axis which cooperates therewith.

2. A metal roof seam forming machine comprising a body, Wheels carried by the body for rolling the machine along a roof, a series of means carried by the body aligned generally in the direction of movement of the machine along the roof for progressively turning projecting edges of metal roofing material to form a seam upon movement of the machine along the roof, each of said means comprising a roll mounted in the body for rotation about a fixed axis and a portion movable rectilinearly transversely of the body in opposed relationship to the roll, two of said transversely movable portions each comprising a roll and a support in which the roll is journaled for rotation with the axis of the roll substantially normal to the direction of rectilinear transverse movement of the opposed portion aforesaid, the body having guide means for each of such supports guiding the same in a fixed transverse path, a third such transversely movable portion comprising a deflector adapted for sliding action against the edges being formed into a seam and being disposed between and guidingly mounted in said supports, and means resiliently urging each of the supports and the deflector toward the roll mounted in the body for rotation about a fixed axis which cooperates therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 889 Fay Jan. 24, 1860 465,906 Weitmyer Dec. 29, 1891 1,878,622 Deacon et al. Sept. 20, 1932 2,160,336 Maxfield May 30, 1939 2,171,297 Zahner Aug. 29, 1939 

